Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Yaoundé
- Hosted at: Université Catholique de l’Afrique Centrale / Catholic University of Central Africa / UCAC
- Location(s): Yaounde, Cameroon
- Program Type(s): Study Abroad, Intensive Language
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Designed for students with advanced French language proficiency, the Middlebury School in Cameroon offers a fully immersive academic and cultural experience in Yaoundé, providing students with the opportunity to deepen their French while engaging ... read more
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I can't explain all the ways I changed through this program, but I see the world now with more curiosity and with more empathy. It was humbling to talk to people daily whose lives are objectively more difficult than most americans but who are also the most resilient, fun and kind people I've known. I learned so much about Africa... Ollie S - Covenant College View Entire Review
I learned a great deal about Cameroon, about Cameroonian culture, and about local history and politics. My French proficiency improved tremendously, I learned a lot about myself, and I made lifelong friends with Cameroonians and with other students on the program. A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned a lot about being adaptable and how to be an international traveler in different settings. International travel guidelines and strategies do not work for every country. A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
Language growth, personal growth, academic growth, cultural sensitivity A student - Connecticut College View Entire Review
I learned more about my double identity as a Haitian-American and I gained more of understanding of what my family went through while they grew up in Haiti. I gained more of an appreciation of having a family as I felt I have gotten closer with mine and my host family over shared experiences. aagg - Wellesley College View Entire Review
Language acquisition, cultural insights, lifelong friendships. A student - Bowdoin College View Entire Review
I learned how to adapt to a new living environment; I learned how to cope to uncomfortable situations in a new language; I experienced a beautiful country in which people live, eat, and interact in different manners than I was used to. I made connections with people that I would never have met without this program, especially my... A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned about Cameroon the folks who live there and their culture and I think that was the most valuable. Simply spending time with my host family or with other students exploring corners of the city was probably the most valuable for me. Anything that involved interacting with other people challenged me to use my language ski... A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned a lot about myself and about global and economic relations A student - Kenyon College View Entire Review
I learned SO MUCH about the world. I learned about cultural differences, privilege, colonialism, and my French improved a ton. My worldview has definitely changed, and this semester was easily the best and most transformative semester of my life. Julia Dickson - Johns Hopkins University View Entire Review
I learned how to interact with people my age from a different background. A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
An understanding of just how vast and diverse the world is, and of the remarkable ways that foreign cultures can feel both extremely similar and extremely different from my own. A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned how I respond under stressful and difficult situations A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned how to hail taxis, how to make peanut sauce, how to survive malaria, how to salute a traditional chief from the West of Cameroon, and all of it in French. A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I examined my privilege a lot as a person . It gets me to approach and admire the way Cameroonians get through life despite hardship and in a way, inspire me to explore my spirituality Mai T - Middlebury College View Entire Review
Yes I learned about a whole new culture and so many other things it was extraordinary. A student - Wesleyan University View Entire Review
I learned how to listen better, to opposing ideas as well as to criticism. I learned some much-needed patience, humility, and grit. I picked up some new hobbies (like photography), encouraged by program peers and mentors. I learned how to manage cross-cultural personal relationships, picking up some conflict-resolution and crisi... Zane I - Swarthmore College View Entire Review
I learned SO much. Every day was an amazing adventure! The city is so colorful and amazing and in many ways I want to go back and just live another day in my life there! I learned to cope with various struggles and frustrations, but also how to explore a city-myself and the other student went on super cool hikes and adventures i... A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned a lot about the Cameroonian culture, history, people and many languages. I also learned about governmental and economic issues and I was able to put things I had heard about central Africa into context in order to better understand them. Grace Manning - College of the Holy Cross View Entire Review
Language skills and SO much about Cameroonian culture. Jennifer Melcher - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned so much about Central African culture and the issues and obstacles to development in foreign countries. This is exactly the knowledge I needed to understand my major. It was worth it because I learned more about myself and my interests. A student - Tulane University View Entire Review
My experience abroad was incredibly worthwhile. I gained perspective (being a minority for the first time, but also a privileged minority as a white person in an very poor country that is still impacted by its colonization). I gained a lot of language skills. I also gained good friends, especially in my host family and another A... A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I gained both a better cultural understanding of Cameroon, better french skills, and better understanding of the continued exploitation of Africa by the west. A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
This experience was immersive linguistically and culturally and forced me to reconsider my own national identity and culture. A student - Tufts University View Entire Review
I gained a new family, a new home, new friends. I improved my French. I gained an understanding of the discrepancy between what people think of Cameroon and what the reality is. I learned and lived daily political corruption but was able to A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
About
Designed for students with advanced French language proficiency, the Middlebury School in Cameroon offers a fully immersive academic and cultural experience in Yaoundé, providing students with the opportunity to deepen their French while engaging with the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Francophone Africa. Guided by the Middlebury Language Pledge, participants use French throughout their daily lives, strengthening their language skills through coursework, homestays, and meaningful interaction with local students and community members.
Often described as "Africa in miniature," Cameroon encompasses an extraordinary range of landscapes, cultures, and traditions found across the African continent. Home to more than 240 ethnic groups and hundreds of languages and dialects, the country offers students a unique opportunity to explore the intersections of language, identity, history, and contemporary society within one of Africa's most diverse nations.
Based at the Université Catholique d'Afrique Centrale in Yaoundé, students enroll in courses taught entirely in French, selecting from both Middlebury-designed offerings and the university's broader curriculum in the social sciences. As Cameroon's political capital, Yaoundé provides an ideal setting for linguistic and cultural immersion, combining a vibrant academic community with lively markets, museums, cultural institutions, and everyday opportunities to engage with Francophone African life.
Through rigorous academics, direct engagement with local communities, and complete linguistic immersion, the Middlebury School in Cameroon prepares students to navigate the French-speaking world with greater fluency while developing a deeper understanding of Central Africa's cultural, historical, and social diversity.
Program Type(s):
Study AbroadIntensive Language
Program Length(s):
- Fall
- Spring
- Academic Year
Instruction Language(s):
- French
Language Requirement(s):
- French
Relevant Study Subject(s):
- African Studies
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
- African Languages, Literature
- French Language, Literature
- Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Psychology
- Political Science and Government
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Music
- History
Minimum GPA:
2.67Website
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